Apparatus for reducing garbage and sewage.



yNo. 829,955.

PATP'NPPD SEPT. 4, 1906. P. P. PnsoN. APPARATUS POP RPDUGING GARBAGE AND SEWAGP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1904. RENBWED FEB.17,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

110. 829,955. PATENTED SEPTA, 1906.

- E. R. BDSON.- APPARATUS FOR REDUGING GARBAGE AND SEWA APPLIOATION FILED MAY 28, 1904. BENBWED FEB. 17, 1906.-

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

EUGENE RILEY EDSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 4, 1906.

Application filed May 28, 1904. Renewed February 17,1906. Serial No. 301,637.

. T fl/ZZ rub/071i, t ntczy concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE RILEY EDsoN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Reducing Garbage and Sewage; and

I hereby declare the following' to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for reducing garbage and sewage, and more especially for rendering the material suitable for treatment with a solvent-such, for instance, as naphtha-to separate grease from the remainder of the material.

One object of this invention is to provide apparatus whereby material of the character indicated is first cooked or digested and then rendered substantially non-aqueous, and whereby without ebullition the material is thoroughlyT cooked or digested and substantially all of the oily or greasy matter contained in the material is rendered free to be separated from the remainder of the material by percolation, after rendering the cooked or digested mass substantially nonaqueous, and the residue is left in the best possible condition for use as a fertilizer-r Another' obj ect of this invention is to provide apparatus whereby garbage and sewage can be reduced with facility and inexpensively.

Another object is to provide apparatus not only capable of being operated with facility, but durable in construction, longliyed, readily repairable, and especially well adapted for the work for which it is designed.

l/Vith these objects in view and to the end of attaining other advantages hereinafter appearing this invention consists in certain features of construction, and combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, largely in central section, of

the upper portion of the apparatus, including the digester and the upper portion of the yalved passage-way employed in conducting cooked or digested material from the digester into the drying-chamber of the drier. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, largely in central section, of the lower' portion of the apparatus, including the drier and the lower portion ofthe aforesaid valved passage-way. Portions are shown broken away in the drawings to reduce the size of the drawings.

After much experimenting I discovered that garbage and sewage to be reduced is preferably cooked or digested in a closed steam-heated receptacle, at a temperature of at least 300O Fahrenheit, for a period of from eight to ten hours, under a pneumatic pressure at least ten pounds per square inch in excess of the steam-pressure employed in heating the said receptacle and contents, not only for the purpose of holding the mass quiet during the heating of the material, but to prevent the liberation or separation of free ammonia from the nitrogenous material being treated and to prevent also vaporizing of glycerin, that thereupon the mass is preferably rendered substantially non-aqueous, and that garbage and sewage thus cooked or digested without loss of ammonia, nitrates, and glycerin, and thereupon rendered nonaqueous, is in the best possible condition for treatment with a solvent-such, for instance, as naphtha-to separate with facility every particle of grease from the remainder of the mass and to leave the residue in the most desirable condition for use as a fertilizer.

My improved apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a digester built to render it especially well adapted for` use as a part of the said apparatus. The said digester is illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings, and, referring to this figure, A designates a verticallyarranged cylindrical steam-heated receptacle in Whose chamber a garbage or sewage which is to be reduced is cooked or digested. The receptacle A is shaped at its lower end to form a downwardly-discharging opening or outlet 5 for the chamber a, which outlet is arranged centrally of the lower end of the said chamber and has an upwardly-Haring mouth 6, which is formed by the invertedcone-shaped lower end portion 7 of the said receptacle. receptacle A forms also the inner side wall of the chamber b of the steam-jacket of the receptacle. The outer side wall of the jacketchamber b is formed by a vertically-arranged outer cylindrical metal shell B, which of course extends around the receptacle A and is enough larger transversely than the said receptacle to form the said chamber b.

The jacket-forming shell B has a lower inverted-cone-shaped portion 20, which surrounds and is transversely larger than the IOO The

IIO

correspondingl T-shaped lower end portion '7 of the receptacle A, so that the chamber l) extends downwardly to and around the mouth 6 of the outlet 5 of the chamber a. The lower end portion 2O of the shell B is provided at its lower end with a suitably-applied stuffing-box 22, which surrounds the surrounding wall 8 ol the outlet 5 below the mouth 6 and forms a fluid-tight joint around the said wall. A chamber 10, which is formed in the upper portion of the wall 8, is open at its upper end and communicates with and forms a downward enlargement of the jacket-chamber l). A drain-pipe D communicates with the chamber 1() and is provided with a normally closed valve d. The shell B is provided also with a steam-pipe C, which communicates with the chamber b and is employed to conduct steam into the said chamber, The pipe C is provided with a valve c.

rlhe upper portion of the surrounding wall of the chamber a will obviously be worn from corrosion much sooner than the remainder of the said wall. rlhe receptacle A, to render it simple and durable in construction and to render the upper portion of the surrounding wall of the chamber a more especially durable and readily renewable when worn out without interferingr with the remainder of the said wall, is constructed in sections. The inverted-cone-shaped lowermost section '7 of the receptacle A consists of an iron casting, and the next lowermost and central section of the receptacle is composed of a plate-metal cylinder 12, which fits snugly interiorly of and, is secured to the upper end ofthe section 7. The section 12 is provided at its upper end with a cast-iron ring 13, which snugly embraces the upper end of and is secured to the said section. The ring 13 is provided at its upper end and internally with an annular flange 14, which enlarges the seat formed by the upper end of the said ring for the upper section 15 of the receptacle A. The section 15 consists of a cast-iron cylinder, which is provided at its lower end and internally with an annular flange 16, arranged over the flange 14 of the ring 13. The joint between the section 15 and the ring 13 is rend ered fluid-tight in any approved manner. The section 15 is removably secured to the ring 13 by bOltS E and nuts e. The bolts E extend through the flanges 14 and 16 and are arranged with their heads abutting against the upper Sid@ of the flange 16, and the nuts e are mounted on the Shanks of the bolts at the under Sid@ of the flange 14.

A head Gr is instrumental in closing the 11D- per end of the chamber a and rests upon the upper end of the section 15. The head G 1S removably secured to the section 15 by boltS or screws 17. The joint between the head G and. the section 15 is rendered fluid-tight in any approved manner. The outer and jacket-forming shell B is also composed of sections, and the inverted-cone-shapcd lowermost section 20 of the said shell comprises an iron casting, whichis provided at its upper end with an external annular flange 23, arranged to rest upon the framework or structure 7L, from which the digester is supported. The shell B is composed in the main of a plate-metal cylinder 24, which is snugly embraced at its lower end by the upper end of and secured to the section 20. The jacketsection 24 at its upper end snugly embraces a cast-iron ring 25, secured to the said jacketsection 24 and provided at its upper end and externally udth an annular flange 26. The receptacle A is suspended from the upper end of the jacket-forming shell B. Preferably the upper cast-iron section 15 of the receptacle A is provided at its upper end and externally with an annular flange 18, which rests upon the upper end of the ring 25 of the ackct-forming shell B and extends over the flange 26 of the said ring, to which the receptacle-section 15 is removably secured by bolts F and nuts The bolts F extend through the flanges 18 and 26 and are arranged with their heads at the under side of the flange 26, and the nuts f are mounted upon the Shanks of the bolts at the upper side of the flange 18. Obviously the receptacle A is free to elongate downwardly through the stuffing-box 22 independently of the jacket-forming shell B.

The head G consists in the main of an iron casting and is provided centrally with a downwardly-flanged aperture or hole 30, which extends vertically through the head, with the flange 32 surrounding the said hole enlarged diam etrically or transversely at its lower end, as at 33, to form the upper head of a heatingdrum J, which is arranged vertically and centrally of the chamber a of the receptacle A. The upper drum-head is therefore integral with the head Gr. The drum-head 33 is provided at its lower end with an internallyscrew-threaded ring K, which is removably secured to the said head by screws 7c and is screwed onto the correspondingly externallyscrew-threaded upper end of a cylindrical tube 34, which is arranged vertically and forms the main portion of the drum J. The joint between the tube 34 and the head 33 is rendered fluid-tight in any approved. manner. The tube 234 is closed at its lower end by a cupshaped head 35, which is screw-threaded interiorly at its upper end and screwed onto the correspondingly externally screw threaded lower end ofthe said tube.

An air-conductinoI pipe L is arranged centrally of and exten s longitudinally through the hole 30, tube 34, and head 35, snugly fitting and extending through a hole 36, which is formed in and centrally of the said head. The pipe L is provided next below the drumhead 35 with laterally-discharging orifices or IOO outlets 37. The joint between the pipe L and the head 35, where the said pipe extends through the said head, is rendered fluid-tight in any approved manner. The pipe L extends through a stuffing-box m with which the head G is provided around the upper end of the hole 30. The pipe L above the head G is provided with a normally closed valve l. The head G is provided also with an airconductiug pipe R, which discharges into the chamber d at the top ofthe said chamber and is provided with a normally closed valver. The pipes L and R are connected and communicate udth an air-supply pipe P in common. The pipe P communicates with the outlet ot a suitably-operated and suitably-supported pump Q, whose inlet is in communication. with the external atmosphere.

The head G is provided at one side of the drum J with an upwardly-flanged chargingaperture g, through which the garbage or sewage which is to be reduced is fed to the chamber (L, and a suitably-applied cover 27 is employed tor closing the said aperture. The head G is provided also with an air-outlet 28, normally closed by a valve 29. A water-supply pipe VV, which is provided with a normally closed valve w, communicates with the chamber a at the upper end of the said chamber. The aperture g is large enough transversely to serve as a manhole and to accommodate the passage through the said aperture ol the tube 34 and the pipes and fittings employed in establishing communication between the j acket-chamber l) and the lchamber of the drum J, Aformed by the tube 34 and drum-heads 33 and 35.

The upper drum-head 88 is provided with a lateral p ort 38, which communicates with the chamber of the drum J, and the receptaclesection l5 is provided opposite the port 38 with a port 40, which communicates with the j adict-chamber l). A pipe I, which is removably attached to the receptacle-section l5 and to the drum-head 88, is arranged to establish communication between the ports 88 and 40. The lower drum-head 85 is provided at the bottom of the chamber of the drum J with a port 42, and the receptaclesection 7 is provided a suitable distance below the said port with a port 48, which communicates with the acket-chamber b, and a sinuous copper pipe N, removably attached in any approved manner to the said head and to the said receptacle-section, is arranged to establish communication between the ports 42 and 43.

By the construction hereinbefore described it will be observed that the receptacle A is suspended Yfrom the upper end of the jacket-forming shell B, that the drum J is suspended Yfrom the head G, and that upon detaching the pipe N from the receptacle-section 7 and removing the bolts E and F and the nuts e and f the upper receptacle-section 15, with the head G and the drum are rendered Withdrawable from the remainder of the digester for repairs or other purposes.

A valve-casing T is arranged in line endwise and below the outlet 5, with the chamber t of the valve-casing communicating at the upper end oiPA the valve-casing with the said outlet. The valve-casing T is provided at its upper end and externally with an annular flange 45, which is arranged below the lower end of the surrounding wall of the outlet 5 and removably secured to the said wall by bolts or screws 46. The normally closed slide-valve V, with which the valve-casing is provided, is arranged to control the discharge of material through the said valve-casing from the outlet 5 ofthe digester.

A suitable distance below the digester is arranged a drier H, which, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a steam-jacketed receptacle. A valved steam-pipe 5() and a valved drain-pipe 52 communicate with the chamber of the steam-jacket of the drier at the top and bottom, respectively, of the drier. A shaft s is arranged centrally of the drying-chamber 55 ofthe drier and extends horizontally through the said chamber. The shaft s is suitably supported trom the end walls ot the chamber 55 and is provided exteriorly of the said chamber with a driving-wheel 56, to which power is applied in any approved manner. The shaft s is provided within the drying-cham-l ber 55 with radial arms 57, instrumental in stirring material treated within the said chamber during the operation of the shaft. The top wall of the drying-chamber is provided vertically below the outlet 5 of the digester, and consequently in line endwise with the valve-casing T, with a charging-aperture 58, through which the material, which is to be rendered substantially non-aqueous within the drier, is fed to the said chamber. A valve-casing Urests upon the drier around the aperture 58 and is provided at its lower end and externally with an annular Vflange 60, which is removably secured, by means of bolts or screws 62, to the drier. The chamber u of the valve-casing U communicates at the lower end ofthe valve-casing with the aperture 58. The valve-casing U is provided at its upper end and externally with an annular iange 63. The slide-valve o, with which the valve-casing U is provided, is normally closed and arranged to interrupt continuity when closed in the passage-way partially formed by the valve-casing chamber u and communicating with the charging-aperture of the drier.

Two telescoping pipes and y are arranged between and secured to the different valvecasings T and U, respectively. The upper pipe :c is provided at its upper end and externally with an annular flange 65, which is arranged at the under side of and opposite an IOO IIO

annular 'flange-66, formed upoi nd exten nally of the lower end of the upper' valve-casing T. The pipe is removably secured to the valve-casing T by bolts 67 and nuts 68. The belts 67 extend through the Aflanges 65 and 66 and are arranged with their heads abutting against the upper' side of the lower 'flange 66 of the valve-casing T, and the nuts 68 are mounted upon the shanks of the said bolts at the under side of the 'flange 65 of. the pipe at. The lower pipe y is provided at its lower end and externally with an annular 'flange 70, which is arranged above and opposite the upper Vflange 63 of the lower valvecasing U. The pipe y is removably attached to the valve-casing U by bolts 72 and nuts 73. The bolts 7 2 extend through the flanges 63 and 7 0 and are arranged with their heads abutting against the upper side of the iiange 70, and the nuts 73 are mounted upon the shanks of the said bolts at the under side of the flange 63. The upper pipe r extends into the lower pipe y, and the arrangement of the parts is such that two pipes a; and y are capa ble of elongating or contracting endwise independently of each other. The lower pipe y is provided at its upper end and around the upper pipe :n with a stuffing-box 74. The ioint between the upper valve-casing T and the surrounding wall of the outlet 5 of the digester, the joint between the lower valve-casing U and the drier, and the lioints between the valve-casings T and U and the pipes :1: and y, respectively, are rendered Huid-tight in any approved manner.

The drying-chamber is provided at trie bottom with a discharge opening or outlet 7 5, through which the material rendered substantially non-aqueous in the said chamber is removed from the drier. The outlet 75 is normally closed by a suitably-applied door 76. The drying-chamber 55 is also provided at the top with a vapor-outlet 77, at which the aqueous vapor arising from material dried' in the drier is permitted to escape from the said chamber. A vapor-conducting pipe 7 S, which is provided with a valve 80, communicates at one end with the vapor-outlet 77 and is in communication at its opposite end with a suitably-operated pump or suctioncreating device S2. An air-conducting pipe communicates at one end with the passage-way Vformed by the pipes and `i/ and is shown suitably attached to upper pipe The pipe 83 is provided with a valve S4 and communicates at its opposite endv with the pipe P. An airconducting pipe S5 communicates at one end with the vapor-outlet 77 of the drying-chamber and is in communication at its opposite end with the chamber (L of the digester at the top of the last-mentioned chamber. The pipe S5 is provided with a normally closed valve S5.

In the operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described the garbage or sewage which is to be reduced is introduced int-o the chamber a of the digester through the chargingaperture g upon opening the cover 27, which is thereupon closed. Tf the material does not contain enough moisture to facilitate disintegration of the same, the valve w of the water-sup ply pipe 7 is opened to supply the desired additional quantity of moisture to the material, and thereupon the said valve is closed. The garbage or sewage when sup plied to the chamber civ of the digester is kept in a quiet state within the said chamber, and consequently before any heating of the said material 'within the said chamber an adequate pneumatic pressure is established on top of the mass in the said chamber upon operating the pump Q after opening the valve r of the pipe lt. Wvhen a pneumatic pressure of at least ten pounds per square inch greater than. the steam-pressure to be employed in heating the digester obtains on the mass within the chamber af, the valve yr is closed and steam is admitted to the jacket-chamber l) upon opening the valve 'c of the steam-pipe C. Steam under a gage-'pressure of over forty pounds per square inch is essential. Preferably steam under ar gage-pressure of sixty pounds per square inch is employed in heating the digester and contei'its, and pref erably a pneumatic pressure of from seventyiive to eighty pounds per square inch is established upon the mass within the chamber c of the digestcr before the heating of the material, so as not only to positively hold the material in a quiet state while the material is being cooked or digested, but to facilitate the liberation of grease from the material and to render the disintegration of the material rapid. lt will be observed, therefore, that the material is cooked or digested at a temperature of over 2850 Fahrenheit and preferably at a temperature of at least 300o Fahrenheit and under a pneumatic pressure of Vfrom seventy-'five to eighty pounds per square inch for a period of at least eight hours, and preferably for a period of ten hours, to insure an adequate disintegration ofthe material and a thorough liberatioi'i of the oily and greasy matter contained in the mass 'without liberating, separating, or displacing free ammonia from its place in the mass and without permitting a vaporizing of glycerin.

By the process carried out 'with my improved apparatus the freeing of vapors within the digester is practically avoided, and consequently vapors carrying more or less ammonia and nitrates are prevented Afrom asceiuiing or separating 'from the nitrogenous material during the treatment of the said material, and I would remark also that preventing the separation of glycerin from the oily and greasy matter contained in the mass is important because a greater percentage of glycerin in the grease extracted from IOO ISO

the material renders the grease more valuable. I would remark also that in cooking or digesting garbage or sewage within a closed steam-heated .receptacle at a temperature of about 300O Fahrenheit under a pneumatic pressure of from seventy-ii ve to eighty pounds per square inch on top of the mass for a period of from eight to ten hours substantially every trace of oily or greasy matter in the material is liberated sufficiently to render substantially all of the grease readily separable from the remainder of the mass by percolation after rendering the grease-containing digested mass substantially nonaqueous.

To facilitate the disintegration of the material during the cooking or digesting of the material within the digester, air under pressure may be admitted into the lower portion of the mass through the pipe L by temporarily operating the air-pump Q and opening the valve Z. Any excess of air-pressure Within the digester can be relieved upon temporarily opening the valve 29 of the air-outlet 28.

To positively prevent leakage through the val ve-casing T into the passage-way formed by the telescoping pipes and y and to prevent the air-pressure maintained on top of the mass within the digester from adding to the load upon the valve V, the valve 84 of the pipe S3 is opened and the pump Q operated to pump air into the said passage-way until thel pneumatic pressure within the said passage-way equals the pneumatic pressure upcn'the mass within the digester, and the desired pneumatic pressure in the said passage-way is established preparatory to and maintained during the cooking or digesting of the material.

I'Vhen the garbage or sewage undergoing treatment within the digester has been adequately digested, say, for a period of at least eight hours at the temperature and under the pneumatic pressure hereinbefore stated, the valves V and e are opened to permit a downward passage ofthe digested material from the chamber ay of the digester through the passageway formed by the outlet of the digester, the valve-casing chamber t, the pipes a: and y, the valve-casing chamber u, and the chargingaperture 5S of the drying-chamber 55 into the last-mentioned chamber, and a pneumatic pressure is preferably permitted to remain on the digested mass within the digester during the evacuation of the digester to facilitate the passage of the digested mass to the drier. The valve S6 of the pipe 85 is opened upon opening the slide-valves V and e preparatory to the discharge of the cooked or digested mass 'from the digester into the drying-chamber, so as to establish communication during the evacuation of the digester between the drying-chamber and the chamber a of the digester at the top of the said chambers, and thereby permit a gradual equalizing of airpressures within the said chambers; but of course the valve 86 is kept closed during the operation of the drier, as well as during the cooking or digesting of the material within the aforesaid chamber of the digester.

In treating garbage and sewage I prefer not to remove the liberated grease from the mass in the digester, but to permit all oily and greasy matter to pass with the remainder of the mass into the drying-chamber 55, wherein the grease is absorbed by or adheres to the fertilizer-forming particles of the digested mass. The digested mass having passed into the drying-chamber is dried or rendered non-aqueous in the said chamber in any approved manner and is preferably stirred by the operation of the shaft s during the drying period to facilitate the drying process and to thoroughly and uniformly distribute the grease throughout the mass, so as to facilitate the subsequent separation of the grease from the remainder of the mass by percolation. Upon the passage of the digested material from within the digester into the drying-chamber 55 the valves V and v are closed to prevent any vapor or gases arising within the drying-chamber during the drying period from ascending into the digester. During the drying period the material is freed from all water or aqueous fluid, and the aqueous vapors arising from the mass within the drier are conducted off at the vapor-outlet 77 of the drying-chamber. The passage of aqueous vapor from the dryingchamber is facilitated by the operation of the suction-creating device 82. When the digested mass has been rendered substantially non-aqueous, the dried and grease-bearing digested material is removed from the drying-chamber through the discharge-outlet 75 of the said chamber upon opening the door 76 and is conveyed to and placed in a percolator wherein the said material is treated with a solvent-such, for instance, as naphtha-to separate the grease from the fertilizer-forming remainder of the mass.

The construction and operation of percolators are too well understood in the art to require description and illustration in this application.

The process described in this application constitutes the subject-matter of a simultaneously-died contemporaneous application bearing serial number 210,196.

I/Vhat I claim is'- l. The combination, with a drying-chamber provided with a charging-aperture, and a digester having its material-receiving chamber arranged a suitable distance above the said charging-aperture and provided with an outlet through which the material treated in the said chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of a valved passage-way arranged between and communicating with the said outlet and the aforesaid charging- IOO rio

aperture and provided with two valves arranged a suitable distance apart longitudinally of the passage-way; means for establishing a neumatic pressure in the said passage-way etween the two valves, and means for establishing a pneumatic pressure within the aforesaid chamber of the digester.

2. The combination, with a drying-chainber provided, at the top, with a chargingaperture, and a digester having its material.- receiving chamber arranged a suitable distance above the said charging-aperture and provided, at its lower end., with an outlet through which the material cooked or digested in the said chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of a valved passage-waiT arranged between and communicating with the said outlet and the said charging-aperture and provided with two slide-valves arranged a suitable distance apart vertically; means for establishing a pneumatic pressure in the said passage-way between the two valves, and means for establishing a pneumatic pressure within the aforesaid chamber of the di gester.

3. The combination, with a drying-chamber provided with a charging-aperture, and a digester having its material-receiving chamber arranged a suitable distance above the said charging-aperture andprovided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in. the said chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of a valved passage-wav arranged between and communicating with the said outlet and the aforesaid charging-aperture, and a valved passage-way establishing communication between the drying-chamberand the aforesaid chamber of the digester at the upper end of the digester.

Ll. rlfhe combination, with a drying-chamber provided, at the top, with a chargingaperture, and a digester having its materialreceiving chamber arranged a suitable distance above the said charging-aperture and provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material cooked or digested in the said chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of a valved passage-'way arranged between and communi.- eating with the said outlet and the aforesaid charging-aperture and provided 'with two valves arranged a suitable distance apart longitudinally of the passage-way; means for establishing a pneumatic pressure in the said passage-w@T between the two valves; a valved pipe communicating with the dryingchamber and with the aforesaid chamber of the digester at the top of the said chambers, and means for establishing a pneumatic pressure within the said digester-chamber. L., 5. The combination, with a drying-chamber provided, at the top, with a chargingaperture, and a digester having a chamber in which material is x to be cooliedihor digested and arranged above the aforesaid chargingaperture, which last-mentioned chamber is provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in the aforesaid chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of a valved passage-way between the said outlet and the aforesaid charging-.aperture and provided with two valves arranged a suitable distance apart vertically, a valved pipe communicating with the aforesaid chamber ol the digester; a valved pipe communicating with the aforesaid passage-way between the two valves, and means for supplying air under pressure to both of the said pipes.

6. The combination., with a drying-chamber provided with a charging-aperture, and a digester having a chamber in which material is to be cooked or digested and arranged above the aforesaid charging-aperture, which last-mentioned chamber is provided, at the top with a valved air-outlet and is provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in the aforesaid chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of a valved passage-wair between the said outlet and the aforesaid charging-aperture and provided with two valves arranged a suitable distance apart longitudinally of the passage-way; a valved pipe discharging into the lower portion. of the aforesaid chamber of the digester, a valved pipe communicating with the said chamber of the digester at the top of the digester; a valved pipe communicating with the aforesaid passage-way between the two valves, and means for supplying all of the said pipes with air under pressure.

7. The combination, with a drier, and a digester having a chamber in which material is to be cooked or digested and arranged above the drier and provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in the said chamber is discharged from the digester, of two valve-casings arranged a suitable distance apart vertically between the said. outlet and the drier and secured to the digester and drier respectively, with the chamber of the upper valve-casing in communication, at its upper end, with. the aforesaid. outlet and with the chamber of the lower valve-casing in communication, at its lower end, with the drying-chamber of the drier a valve within each valve-casing for controlling the passage of matter through the chamber of the said casing, and two telescoping pipes arranged between the valvecasings and communicating with the chainber of and secured to the different valve-casings respectively.

8. The combination, with a drier, and a digester having a chamber in which material is to be cooked or digested and arranged above the drier and provided, at its lower end, withan outlet through whichL-,theumate- IOO IIC

rial treated in the said chamber is discharged from the digester, of two valve-casings arranged a suitable distance apart vertically between the said outlet and the drier and secured to the digester and drier, respectively, with the chamber of the uppervalve-casing in communication, at its upper end, with the aforesaid outlet and with the chamber of the lower valve-casing in communication, at its lower end, with the drying-chamber of the drier, a slide-valve within each valve-casing for controlling the passage of matter through the chamber of the said casing, two telescoping pipes arranged between the valve-casings and communicating with the chamber of and secured to the different valve-casings respectively means fer establishing a pneumatic pressure within the aforesaid chamber of the digester, and means for establishing a pneumatic pressure in the passage-way formed by and within the aforesaid pipes.

9. The combination, with a drier, and a digester having a chamber in which material is Lobe cooked or digested and arranged above the drier and provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in the said chamber is discharged from the digester, of Vtwo valve-casings arranged a suitable distance apart vertically between the said outlet and the drier and removably secured to the digester and drier respectively, with the chamber of the upper valve-casing in communication, at its upper end, with the aforesaid outlet and with the chamber of the lower valve-casing in communication, at its lower end, with the drying-chamber of the drier a valve within each valve-casing for controlling the passage of matter through the chamber of the said casing; 'two telescoping pipes arranged between the valve-casings and communicating with the chamber of and removably secured to the different valve-casiugs respectively, and means for establishing a pneumatic pressure in the passage-way formed by and within the aforesaid pipes.

10. he combination, with a drier having a drying-chamber provided, at 'the top, with a charging-aperture, and a digester having a chamber in which material is to be cooked or digested and arranged above the drier and provided, at its lower end and in line vertically with the aforesaid charging-aperture, with an outlet through which the material treated in the aforesaid chamber of the digester is discharged from the digester, of two valve-casings arranged in line endwise between the said outlet and the aforesaid charging-aperture and secured to the digester and drier respectively, with the chamber of the upper' valve-casing in communication, at its upper end, with the aforesaid outlet and with the chamber of 'the lower valve-casing in communication, at its lower end, with the aforesaid charging-aperture, a valve within each valve-casing for controlling the passage of matter through the chamber of the said casing; two telescoping pipes arranged between the valve-casings and communicating with the chamber of and secured to the different valve-casings respectively, and a stuffingbox borne by one of the said pipes and extending around the other pipe.

ll. The combination, with a drier, and a digester having a chamber in which material is to be cooked or digested and arranged above the drier and provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in the said chamber is discharged from the digester, of two valve-casings arranged a suitable distance apart vertically between the said outlet and the drying-chamber of 'the drier and secured tothe digester and drier respectively, with the chamber of 'the upper valve-casing in communication with the aforesaid outlet, and with the chamber of the lower valve-casing in communication with the drying-chamber; a valve within each valve-casing for controlling the passage of matter through the chamber of Ithe said valve-casing a pipe communicating with the chamber of and depending from and secured to the upper valve-casing, a pipe communicating with the chamber of and projecting upwardly from and secured to the lower valve-casing and ex tending around the upper pipe; a stuffing-box borne by Vthe lower pipe and extending around the upper pipe, a valved air-conducting pipe attached to and communicating with the aforesaid depending pipe, and means for supplying air under pressure to the said air-conducting pipe.

l2. The combination, with a drier, and a digester having a chamber in which material is to be cooked or digested and arranged above the drier and provided., at its lower end, with an outlet through which the material treated in the said chamber is discharged from the digester, of two valve-casings arranged a suitable distance apart vertically between the said outlet and the drying-chamber of the drier and secured to the digester and drier respectively, with the upper valvecasing provided, at its lower end and externally, with a flange, and having its chamber in communication with the aforesaid outlet, and with the lower valve-casing provided, at its upper end and externally, with a flange and having its chamber in communication with the drying-chamber; a valve within each valve-casing for controlling 'the passage of matter through the chamber of the said valve-casing 5 a pipe communicating with lthe chamber of and depending from the upper valve-casing and provided, at its upper end and externally, with a flange extending in under and removably secured 'to the aforesaid flange of the upper valve-casing, and a pipe communicating with 'the chamber of and projecting upwardly from the lower valvecasing and provided, athits lower end and ex- IOO IIO

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ternally, with a flange arranged over and removably secured to the aforesaid. flange of the lower valve-casing.

i3. The combination, with a drier, and a steam-jacketed digester comprising areceptacle suspended from the upper end of and within the jacket of the digester and provided, at its lower end, with an outlet through which. the material treated in the said receptacle is discharged from the digester, a support for the acket of the digester; a stuffing-box borne by the lower end of the said jacket and extending around the aforesaid receptacle, of two valve-casings arranged a suitable distance apart vertically between the said outlet and the dryingchamber of the drier and secured to the aforesaid receptacle and to the drier respectively g a valve within each valve-casing for controlling the passage of matter through the chamber of the valvecasing a pipe coinmunicating with the chamber of and depending from and secured tothe upper valvecasing; a pipe communicating' with the chamber of and projecting upwardly from and secured to the lower valve-casing, and a stuffing-box borne by one of the said pipes and extending around. the other pipe.

14. The combination, with a digester comprising an upright receptacle provided, at its lower end, with a downwardly-discharging outlet, and an outer shell surroundingthe said receptacle and large enough transversely to form a jacket for the said receptacle and provided, at its lower end, with a stufling-box which surrounds the surrounding wall of the aforesaid outlet, and the said receptacle extending through the said stuffing-box and being free to elongate or contract endwise and independently of the jacket-forming shell, of a drying-chamber a suitable distance below the said outlet; two telescoping pipes communicating with the chamber of and secured to the aforesaid receptacle and to the drier respectively means for preventing leakage between the said pipes, and means for controlling the discharge of material from the aforesaid outlet downwardly through the passage-way formed by the said pipes.

l5. Apparatus for reducing garbage, &c., comprising a receptacle in which the material to be reduced is treated, which receptacle has the material-receiving chamber thereof formed. by a lower cast-iron section provid ed with a downward]y-discharging outlet a plate-metal section secured to the upper end of the said cast-iron section; a cast-iron ring secured to the upper end of the plate-metal section and provided, at its upper end and internally, with aii'lange; a castiron section resting upon the ring and provided, at its lower end and internally, with a flange arranged over and removably secured to the flange of the ring, and a cast-iron head extending over the upper end of thejaforesaid chamber and provided with a charging-aperture, which head is removably secured to the aforesaid upper cast-iron section.

16. Apparatus for reducing garbage, &c., comprising an upright jacket-forming shell provided, at its upper end, with a cast-iron ring; a support for the said. shell; a receptacle for receiving the material to be reduced, which. receptacle is suspended from the upper end of and arranged within the jacketforming shell, and the said receptacle having its upper portion consisting of a cylindrical cast-iron section removable from the remainder of the said receptacle and provided, at its upper end and externally, with a flange resting upon and removably secured to the aforesaid ring, and a head forming the top wall of the chamber of the said receptacle and provided with a charging aperture, which head is removably secured in place.

17. Apparatus for reducing garbage, Sac., comprising an upright jacket-forming shell, a support for the said shell; a receptacle for receiving the material to be reduced, which receptacle is suspended from the upper end of and arranged within the jacket-forming shell, and the said receptacle having its upper portion consisting of a cylindrical castiron section removable from the remainder of the said receptacle and provided, at its upper end and externally, with a `flange resting upon and removably secured to the aforesaid shell, and a head forming the top wall of the chamber of the said receptacle and provided with a charging-aperture, which head rests upon and is removably secured to the aforesaid. cast-iron section of the receptacle.

In testimony whereofl sign the foregoing specification in the presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE RILEY EDSON.

Vitnesses C. H. Donna, G. M. HAYES.

TOO 

